The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/575020
HOCKEY PREVIEW ers began to expect the clanging ev‑ ery time he unleashed the puck off his stick. Nieves doesn't revisit his strug‑ gles much, but he admits he had a heart‑to‑heart with Berenson after the 2013‑14 campaign. "It was a disappointing season, and Coach asked me, 'What are the things you do best?'" Nieves said, relaying the interaction. "I said when I'm playing physical, when I'm skat‑ ing hard because then I'm creating a lot of chances for myself and my teammates. And he told me, 'That's your game,' and I tried to approach every game my junior year that way." Nieves scored more in 2014‑15, tal‑ lying seven goals, but still endured 10‑, nine‑, and eight‑game goalless droughts. He did record 21 assists, and he was strong on both ends of the ice, earning the coaches' trust as a two‑way forward. Toward the end of his junior season, he raised his effort and sense of urgency to a new level, showing off the speed that makes him a dangerous threat to defenses every shift. "Confidence is critical, and I think Boo spent much of his junior year fighting for that confidence," said assistant coach Brian Wiseman, who works with the forwards. "But once he had it, we saw the speed, we saw him using his frame to body oppo‑ nents off the puck, we saw a gritti‑ ness and aggressiveness to his game that he's really been searching for since he came to Michigan. "Boo enjoyed a terrific summer, his confidence is at an all‑time high, and there is no reason he cannot carry that over into his senior season and have a really good finish to his career." Voted an alternate captain for 2015‑16, Nieves watched Hyman prosper a year ago and paid atten‑ tion closely, trying to pick up on the little details that sparked the 54‑point season. "Something Zach did was he worked hard and he skated hard ev‑ ery shift he was on the ice," Nieves said. "And when he did that, he cre‑ ated a lot of scoring chances because there is usually a moment when the opponent eases up and that's when The New York Rangers were impressed enough with Nieves' physical tools that they made him a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL